National one-hit wonder day?

by 112 replies
128
Never heard of this, but since music threads are so popular here I thought I'd pass it along...

Just got an email from my AM at one of my CPA networks...claims its national one-hit wonder day and had this list:

1. Los del Río -- "Macarena" (1996)
2. Soft Cell -- "Tainted Love" (1982)
3. Dexys Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen" (1982)
4. Right Said Fred -- "I'm Too Sexy" (1992)
5. Toni Basil -- "Mickey" (1982)
6. Baha Men -- "Who Let the Dogs Out?" (2000)
7. Vanilla Ice -- "Ice Ice Baby" (1990)
8. a-ha -- "Take On Me" (1985)
9. Gerardo -- "Rico Suave" (1991)
10. Nena -- "99 Luftballons" (1984)
#off topic forum
  • But that list has several mistakes, A-Ha had more than one hit,as did Nena, who is still putting out music today,which oddly enough I posted in another thread today.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nena
  • The "standard" Billboard definition of a "hit" is a song that has placed in the Top 40 of the 100 Top Pop Singles chart.

    So, some of the artists above may still be active, and even had songs that charted (either positions 41-100, or on different charts). However, I don't recall any of the above artists having another "hit", with the possible exception of a-ha.

    Granted, that definiton of a hit is too restrictive, IMHO. For one thing, it ignores songs that may have been played a lot, but were never released as a single. The biggest one in that category is probably Stairway To Heaven.

    Side note: If you ever noticed, I capitalize EVERY word in song titles. For whatever reason, that is the convention for capitalizing in the industry. Yes, there are exceptions.

    Correct: I Am The Walrus
    Incorrect: I am the Walrus
    Acceptable: Goo, goo, goo, joob!

    Maybe each word is capitalized because there isn't other text attached to it, just audio. To put it another way, even the smallest word gains extra significance.

    Rock on!
    Michael
  • "Most American music industry insiders consider a song in the top forty positions of the to be a hit. Thus, any performer who recorded only one song that reached the Top 40 is, technically, a one-hit wonder. However, the term is more generally applied to musicians best known for only one song."

    Actually found the OPs list is posted at the same source:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-hit_wonder
  • One Hit or Not - this one is a beauty of note.

    Nina - you mean Nina Hagin right? What was the group she was with again? I do remember her, don't I?


    YouTube - Soft Cell - Tainted Love: Video
    • [1] reply

    • That's a great track, marc almond was very talented but never really fulfilled his promise.

      kurt: In the 70's David Essex was a teen idol figure in Britain, similar to David Cassidy and Donny Osmond. He ended up doing a lot of West End musicals. He was also in the Rock film: That'll Be The Day.

      Here's a good song from the mostly forgettable, particularly the make up and outfits and that's the men I'm talking about! from the New Romantic period it's The Human league. Probably their only good song:


      YouTube - Human League - "Don't You Want Me" ..Baby?

      This is a one hit wonder, slightly odd look and no idea what their singing about. 4 Non Blondes:

      YouTube - 4 Non Blondes - What's Up (Video)
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Hi Patrician,

    Nena did 99 Luftballoons. Here's the original German version.

    YouTube - Nena- 99luft Balons
    Nina Hagen is ENTIRELY different. Except that they are both German.

    Nena's voice is more pop oriented. Nina Hagen's is more punk/nasal/scratchy.

    YouTube - Nina Hagen New York New York
    So, you may be thinking what could be more surreal than that?

    I will tell you...

    Nina Hagen singing "opera" on the Merv Griffin Show with Don freakin' Rickles. Yes, there are references to We Are The World and chakras, to name a few.

    Enjoy...

    YouTube - Nina Hagen and Don Rickles
    Rock on!
    Michael
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • lol, classis find Michael.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • OMIGOD guess what was on the Nena page?

    My girlfriend, Boy George!

    Speaking of One Hit Wonders.

    wahoo.

    YouTube - Culture club - Do you really want to hurt me
    Oh I do recognize the pop Nena - nice song.
    • [1] reply
    • Well, Boy George and/or Culture Club actually had several hits, but it is a wonder that they had even one. So I guess that qualifies as a one hit wonder.



      Rock on!
      Michael
      • [1] reply
  • Yeah, Nena is Nena KERNER! There IS a kind of CONSPIRACY with her! The publisher of much of her music is AMERICAN. CBS as I recall. Anyway, Most of her music is NOT distributed in the U.S., EVEN though a lot of it is in ENGLISH.

    She is FAR from a one hit wonder. Frankly, I LIKE her. I got like 5 of her albums, and only TWO were available in the US.

    Steve
  • She IS a one hit wonder. At least in the US.

    But I know where you're coming from. It's like when I tell people I'm a Devo fan. The only song they know is Whip It. Then I tell them I have 10 Devo CDs (very incomplete, but it's a start) - they are amazed that they had so much material.

    For the unitiated, Devo was about much more than Whip It. AND they have a new album coming out!!!

    Here's a song that's almost bubblegum.

    YouTube - Devo - Goo Goo Itch
    Rock on Spuds!
    Michael
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • A lot of people thought Devo was a joke.

    However, they were attending college in the early 70s. Oh yeah, they were students at Kent State in 1970.

    Anyway, their theory of de-evolution (from where they get their name) was becoming more of a reality after the tragic deaths on the campus. Gerald Casale has said it was the defining moment in the formation of Devo.

    The point is that Devo is full of irony, satire, and best of all - they are deceptively subversive.

    At SXSW 2009, Casale said the following...

    I think that sums it up nicely.

    Rock on!
    Michael
  • Hey - where did these guys ever go? They were good.

    YouTube - Men at work: Land down under!!!! (One of their best songs!!)
    and these? ( I admit I just loved this song)

    YouTube - A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran
    • [1] reply
    • Colin Hay, of Men at work, toured with Ringo's Allstar band a few years ago
  • ... well i was born in ohio and my step father always said i was growing up to be a degenerate (in California) -

    yeh DEVOLVING ALRIGHT! YES -

    i never wore a flower pot on my head although some of the 'beehive' hairdos in highschool could pass!!!! Marge Simpson was in my home room.
  • You may like the full interview then.

    I'm breaking the link up, so the video isn't embedded in the post.

    It's political. I think some others in the Off-Topic would enjoy it. Notice what Gerald is referring to when he says the quoted lines above. Hint: It starts about 46 seconds into it.

    Enjoy.

    http:// www . youtube . com/watch?v=n-aUjcl1ovs&NR=1

    ~Michael
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • The industry definition of a hit is a lot different than ours.

      There have been many one hit wonders for whom I have many albums and
      other singles.

      For that matter, I have whole record collections of groups who never even
      had ONE hit.

      Off the top of my hat, Sparks...one of the most underrated groups of all
      time.

      And then there is Wizard, who even though had many hits in the UK such
      as "See My Baby Jive", "Angel Fingers", and "I Wish It Could Be Christmas
      Everyday" never had a hit in the US. IMO, ELO was not the same group
      after Roy Wood left.

      But that's another story for another day.
  • YouTube - Spirit in the Sky Norman Greenbaum
  • YouTube - Draggin' the Line - Tommy James
    • [1] reply
    • Tommy James had several hits.
      "I Think We're Alone Now"
      "Crimson And Clover"

      Maybe more but those come to mind.
      • [1] reply
  • I think this is also a one hit wonder...But not sure:

    YouTube - Rock On - David Essex - 1973
    • [1] reply
  • Kurt, Tommy James is definitely not a One Hit Wonder.
    They actually had 2 periods of fame, the pop period and the psychodelic period.
    But I'd say David Essex Rock On qualifies.

    Michael, as far as one hit wonders go, there are two different mutually accepted fdefinitions, which is why I posted them.
    I think there is the "official" definition and then there is this>
    "the term is more generally applied to musicians best known for only one song."
    I think the gerneral public uses the second term when discussing one hit wonders.
    Also, you are right, Devo was and is so much more than WHip It.
    I know one, but I think two, members still scores tv shows and movies.
    The Rugrat theme is written by one.


    Pat,the guy that wrote Iran From Flock Of Seagulls says he hates that song but still performs it because the people demand it.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
  • YouTube - There Coming to Take me away! HA HA!


    YouTube - Please Mr. Custer - Larry Verne

    This guy had one US #1 Hit - and you can see why, with all the charisma of a wet dish rag.

    YouTube - Sheb Wooley - Purple People Eater (1958)

    YouTube - bobby 'boris' pickett & the cryptkickers - monster mash
    • [1] reply
  • Sailcat - "Motorcycle Mama"

    YouTube - Sailcat-Motorcycle Mama
  • How did we miss this one hit wonder??
    YouTube - Leonard Nimoy's Ballad of Bilbo Baggins
    or this one??
    YouTube - Bill Shatner
  • I loved that Running Bear, Kim. (nice video too)


    Now this is one of my all time childhood favorites. Soooooo beautiful.

    YouTube - Angel Baby - Rosie & The Originals
  • And how about some of these? Not One hit wonders by the official definition as stated several times above, but did the actor ever have another singing hit?

    YouTube - RINGO by LORNE GREENE
  • Pat, I don't know whats going on, but my thanks button is gone??!!
    So, thanks for Angel Baby.

    One aspect that is usually missing from these music threads is country,so here are a few of my favorites.
    (PS: Sorry for getting off one hit wonders, but these threads always stray, eh?)
    YouTube - George Hamilton IV - Abilene
  • and Marty:
    YouTube - El Paso - Marty Robbins
  • Wolvertine Mountain- I was really young when thisa came out.
    YouTube - Wolverton Mountain - Claude King
  • Was this the first "answer" recording?

    YouTube - Jo Ann Campbell - The Girl From Wolverton Mountain - 45 rpm
  • Johnny had several hits:
    YouTube - Johnny Horton The Battle Of New Orleans 1959 Best Video Quality
  • This is countrythough I'm not sure why...definitely wasn't country in the same sense of the music coming out in that era.

    YouTube - Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John
  • another Johnny:
    YouTube - Johnny Cash-Ring of Fire 1963
  • A few from another Johnny, another that I can't rememebr seeing mentioned in our music threads, but one that should be remembered. Ladies and Gentlemen, Johnny Rivers!
    YouTube - JOHNNY RIVERS - Secret Agent Man 1966
    YouTube - Johnny Rivers - Mountain Of Love
    So much blue eyed soul you'd think he was from Motown:

    YouTube - Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town
    YouTube - Johnny Rivers - Baby, I Need Your Lovin', Mar '67 - HQ stereo audio
    I think this was his last "hit",in the 70s.
    YouTube - Johnny Rivers Summer Rain
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • The boys from Ohio did their take of Secret Agent Man in 1976. Two years before their debut album came out.

    It may not be for everyone's taste, but give it a chance, there are a couple of really cool hooks in the song.

    YouTube - DEVO - secret agent man
    Rock on!
    Michael

  • Yee HAW!

    C&W? I am surprised, Kim - you are right no equal represenation heretofor...

    A bit of cross over in the old days with 'Rockabilly' which I like!

    With the thank you button - I have noticed it goes off if you use it too often in the same thread - then it will come back later though - next day or even next time you come back to the thread sometimes.

    It used to be worse when the forum first converted than now, and in fact lately I just have to slam an F5 to refresh and it comes back sometimes.

    Well I am chattering/babbling - tweaking - so good night.

    Take care.

    CYa
  • Time for some Stray CAts - don't ask me why - what has it to do with one hit wonders or country and western - and not even a band i am crazy about - somehow they just belong here right now. 1-2-3-4

    YouTube - Stray Cats - Rockabilly Rules (Live In Paris)
    • [1] reply
  • I'm glad you got the title correct on the first video, even though the Youtube poster didnt! lol
    But in my own personal opinion, the one from Superman was one of the worst songs ever put in a movie. Plus the Superman that most of the clips were from was a terrible Superman movie to begin with
  • Here's one hit that broke into Billboards Top 40 that you probably didn't think of...

    YouTube - Steve Martin - King Tut (Live 1979)
  • lol, how ironic, I was thumbing through a box of my lps and both this and the second Iron Butterfly lps were in it.
  • Too bad YouTube has that 10 minute limit on videos. If I remember correctly, it's 17:05 long. The single edit is either 2:56 or 3:56; that one may have charted. But it's notthe same when the single is shorter than the full-length drum solo.

    93.5 WOZZ, a local station, has played the full length version every Saturday night at 9:00pm for many years.

    Rock on!
    Michael
  • Anyone remember this?
    YouTube - Robin McNamara - Lay A Little Lovin' On Me, Sep '70 - HQ stereo dub
  • Heres one you dont here often but it was a minor hit

    YouTube - One Hit Wonders of the 70's..Christie- 'Yellow River'
  • Jigsaw,Sky High

    YouTube - Jigsaw - Sky High (1975) (HQ sound)
  • I might get some argument on this one, but I call it a one hit wonder.

    YouTube - Never Ending Story ( Limahl )
  • How about "Alright Now" by Free?

    YouTube - Free - All Right Now
    • [1] reply
  • And...

    YouTube - Time Of The Season by The Zombies
  • don't forget biz markee. ase east, anyone?
    OH BABY YOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
  • YouTube - STARBUCK Moonlight Feels Right
    Brother Louie
    YouTube - Brother louis-Stories
    • [1] reply
    • I remember both well.

      Michael, know what pisses me off to no end?

      Before Stories had their big hit with Brother Louie, they had a great song
      in 1972 called "I'm Coming Home" Look it up in your Joel Washburn book. I
      think it hit number 40 or 39 on the Billboard charts.

      I can't find that song anywhere other than the frizzbe I have sitting
      downstairs in my basement.

      It's probably been 30 years since I've heard it too. I may have to hit
      Amazon and see if they have it on a download.
  • I have already posted Tommy James had many hits and three distinct career cyles.
    1: Early Tommy James (and the shondells)
    Mony Mony
    Hanky Panky
    I Think We're Alone Now
    2: Psychedelic Tommy James (andthe shondells)
    Crystal Blue Pursasion
    Crimson And Clover

    3: Solo Tommy James
    Sweet Cherry Wine
  • How about...

    YouTube - The Band - The Weight (Live-1970)

    Like The Dead, a great band that didn't really do well on the charts.
    • [1] reply
  • I remember Starbuck and The Stories too,and there is a storie behind the Stories but for the life of me I can't remember it at the moment.
  • Hi Kim,

    As usual, I will let others answer, but three bands come to mind instantly.
    --->
    Read between the lines if you don't plan on guessing.

    Rock on!
    Michael
  • The only thing about the Stories I can think of is that at least one of the guys used to be in the Left Banke.
  • I should request Michael O wait at least 15 minutes before answering from now on! lol

    If you don't see Michaels answers,which are all correct, anyone else know?
  • KJ, I believe the Starland Vocal Band was a local to the DC area band....Southern MD maybe? I do know Afternoon Delight was all over the DC area stations.
    By the way,if you were in the DC area in the 60s/70s/80, did you ever listen to whfs?
    Cerph or Weasel?
    • [1] reply
    • Kim,

      They came out of New York before they hit the DC scene.

      Yea WHFS would do the coolest things for its' audience. When the Allmand Bros Band came out with their Brothers and Sisters album they played the whole thing starting at midnight with no interruptions. I loved that station.

      They were out of Bethesda MD, and one night they had an old time blues legend on there whose name escapes me right now, and he did a promo for the station in his thick Black southern accent where he pronounced Bethesda as Bethada, and ended with "And now, let's have some fun.' They played that promo for quite some time. I've never forgotten that. It sounded so cool.

      Do you remember WEAM, it was the top AM R&R station and then one Monday morning it came on the air as a strictly Motown type station that only played Black artists. It was quite a shock to us White boys as the playlist was not what we were used to. This was before FM radio became big.

      How about this jingle..."Twelve six O, and 101, WWDC" (you have to add the tune ). Does that ring a bell?

      Mary Chapin Carpenter was a DC girl. Pretty good, too.

      KJ
  • Starland Vocal Band was connected to John Denver in some way, can't remember how offhand. Maybe it was a record label, or being friends or something like that.

    Afternoon Delight went to #1, and was one of my favorites as a kid. I believe they won a Grammy for best new artist - the one award that has been the kiss off death for many a band.

    Here's one from about 1978...
    YouTube - Hot Child In The City
    By the way, Nick Gilder used to be in Sweeny Todd, the same band that the more successful Bryan Adams used to be in, too.

    Rock on!
    Michael

    p.s. Thanks for the compliment, Kim. Like I said, I drive my friends and family nuts with this stuff.
  • Kurt already posted a couple of my favorite one hit wonders, Spirit in the Sky and Rock On.

    I was going to say Donnie Iris Ah Leah!, then I remembered he had Love is Like a Rock, which was actually a bigger hit.

    John
  • Billy Thorpe had more than one single, but I'm pretty sure this is the only one that was a hit or is remembered.

    YouTube - CHILDREN OF THE SUN - Billy Thorpe
    John
    • [1] reply
    • Someone posted a song or video by that name earlier and it made me go looking for this. Apparently he was much bigger everywhere but the states. WHile researching I found out her was dead.
  • Donnie Iris was a member of the Jaggerz, as far as I know, they WERE a one hit wonder...

    YouTube - The Jaggerz - 'The Rapper'
    Rock on!
    Michael
  • They were rappin before rappin was cool!
  • This song holds the record for the #1 song title, on a technicality. Before this, the longest was Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. Like I said, this one beat it on a technicality. I'll post the video and see if I can find it online so I don't have to type it all out...

    YouTube - Stars On 45 Stars On 45 1981
    Rock on!
    Michael

    p.s. Here's the full title on the US single...

    Medley: "Intro" / "Venus" / "Sugar, Sugar" / "No Reply" / "I'll Be Back" / "Drive My Car" / "Do You Want to Know a Secret" / "We Can Work It Out" / "I Should Have Known Better" / "Nowhere Man" / "You're Going to Lose That Girl" / "Stars on 45"
  • I went to a party at Cerphs house once. And of course weasel was there too, they were the two DJs I really liked .
    Wasnt 1260 AM and the 101 FM?
    Now this was the 80s, but I remember the Greaseman geting his start to national fame at DC101. But to me he was more of a Stern wannabe,because it was in DC that Stern really took off.
    But yes, hfs defined the music scene in DC for years.... there still is a HFS but but the music scene has changed so much its almost blasphemy to call it that.
    No video, sorry!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHFS_(historic)

    Edit: I was wrong, I read that page completely and found out hfs in any variation is no more.
    If you lived in the DC area lates 60s/70s/80s the article might make you a bit nostalgic.
  • YouTube - Mountain - Mississippi Queen
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
  • I still say Missipppi Queen was the inspiration for Stevens song with the cowbell.
    • [1] reply
  • Did someone say cowbell?

    More Cowbell

    (looks like NBC had it yanked from YouTube)

    John
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • classic clip, thanks!
  • This thread is so awesome it needed to be revived!
    • [1] reply
    • I love this thread! I love the Starland Vocal Band.

      Donnie Iris is a Pittsburgher as am I. He is also know as "King Cool." He still plays in the area.

      It's funny as I read through the thread I am realizing that a lot of these are on my iPhone. When I am golfing we friends someone always brings up one of these random songs. I will download them on the spot. It definitely elevates our game or at least mine

      Okay this HAS to be a one his wonder as well. I'm not sure we have heard from Player since..haha
      YouTube - ‪Player - Baby Come Back‬‏
      • [1] reply
  • [DELETED]
  • But if you look at UK charts, yu will see some of these longer careers
  • National, but not necessarily International one hit wonders
  • Don't beat yourself up too much.

























    Save that for the rest of us!
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • It's a bad habit.

      I rarely make the same mistake twice, having remembered the 'beating' I took before...:p
      • [1] reply
  • Oooh I remember most of those songs, liked the Vanilla Ice rendition on Glee
  • This song has one of the most politically incorrect lyrics of all time: "have a drink...have a drive"...

    YouTube - ‪Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime‬‏
  • YouTube - ‪Phil Phillips - Sea Of Love‬‏
    YouTube - ‪THE HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES- "ALLEY OOP"‬‏
    YouTube - ‪The Hippy Hippy Shake - Swinging Blue Jeans‬‏
    YouTube - ‪THE NASHVILLE TEENS - Tobacco Road‬‏
  • YouTube - ‪The Hombres - Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)‬‏
    YouTube - ‪Focus - Hocus Pocus‬‏
    Not sure if this one made it to the top 40, but it was a big hit where I lived:

    YouTube - ‪Buchanan Brothers - Medicine Man (Pt. 1)‬‏
    Anyone remember Gimme Dat Ding? Who did that? The Pushkins or something like that, I think.
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  • 128

    National one-hit wonder day?

    Never heard of this, but since music threads are so popular here I thought I'd pass it along... Just got an email from my AM at one of my CPA networks...claims its national one-hit wonder day and had this list: